Clifton Seago: Politicians just pushing agendas

Never belonging to any political party gives one a certain perspective on "national conversations" and the politicians and talking heads promoting their agendas. After the horror of the Newtown shooting, one could have almost written a script as to what the response of both would be.

One side calls for stricter laws and background checks as well as bans on certain types of weapons and ammo magazines.

Couple points: Criminals don't obey laws to began with, and there are enough of these types of weapons and clips, already made, that even if their manufacture were outlawed today, anyone who wants them can get them.

The other side has called for either having guards of some type in schools or that teachers be armed.

Not really a workable solution either. With school cutbacks, who would pay for trained guards? And arming untrained teachers is dumb. Shooting at paper targets at a range hardly qualifies anyone to engage in a firefight. Targets don't move or shoot back, and there are no screaming, panicked children running into your line of fire at a range.

Banning firearms will not stop mentally deranged fanatics from committing these acts of horror, Oklahoma City and 9/11 were accomplished without them. Fertilizer and box cutters caused as many or more deaths.

The ability of those who would commit these unimaginable acts, will always outpace ours to prevent them.

Secure video systems, covering schools and campuses with direct emergency lines to local police, who can access them so those trained to deal with armed intruders can assay the best means of dealing with them, shouldn't cost any more than guards or the insurance premiums districts would have to pay if teachers were packing, Heck, if grandparents can have a system to call for help in an emergency, why not the grandkids?